Safety device for starting-motors.



S. TROOD. SAFETY DEVICE FOR STARTING MOTORS.

APPLIOATION FILED MAB. 1, 1913. RENEWED DEC. 16, 1914.

1,1 30,041 Patented Mar. 2, 1915.

An attempt to mesh a .larged end view of a portion of the usual gasengine 2 UNITED sTATEs PATENT oFF o I SAMUEL TROOD, 0F EDGEWOOD PARK,PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURINGCOMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

, 1 SAFETY DEVICE FOR STARTING-MOTORS.

Application filed March 1, 1913, Serial No. 751,428,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL Tnoon, a citizen of the United States. and aresident of Edgewood Park, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in SafetyDevices for Starting-Motors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a safety device for starting motors and it hasfor its object to provide a structure for protecting the gear mechanismof a starting motor by preventing the connection of the motor to theengine shaft of an automobile, or other mo tor vehicle, while the engineshaft is rotating.

In the use of starting motors in connection with gas engines ofautomobiles, it is customary to employ reduction gearing of acomparatively high-speed ratio between the motor and the engine shaft.In case the flywheel is utilized as one of the gears, it rotates with ahigh peripheral speed when the engine operates under its own power.

motor-driven p nion or gear with the flywheel gear when the engine isrunning, is likely to damage the gear mechanism by causing stripping ofthe teeth. It is necessary, therefore, to prevent the en agement of the.connecting gears when t e speed is excessive.

My, invention consists, broadly, in providing a member which engages theflywheel in advance of the pinion and which, in case the flywheel isrotating, automz-itically acts to positively prevent the furtheractuation of the pinion. toward the flywheel.

The details of my invention are described in connection with theaccompanying drawing in which- Figure 1 is a side view of an automobile,parts being broken away. Fig. 2 is an enflywheel and the startingmechanism. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line III-J11 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4is an enlarged detail view, in perspective, f a portion of the flywheeland an engagi g member.

The automobile 1 18 provided with the and a flywheel 3 having gear teeth4: formed on a portion of its periphery. A starting'motor 5, which maybe an electric motor, a fluid pressure motor, or

other kind of suitable motor; is operaiveiy connected, at starting, tothe flywheel by the motor shaft 6 hailing a fixed pin- :ion 7 whichmeshes with a pinion 8 rotatably Specification of Letters Patent.

wedged shaped dog Patented Mar. 2, 1915.

Renewed December 16, 1914. Serial No. 877,614.

mounted between two plates 9 andlO. The plates 9 and 10 are pivotallysupported by the shaft (3 and are adapted to move the pinion 8; in meshwith the flywheel gear teeth 4 and, at the same time, to maintainintermeshing relation between the pinions 7 anti 8. The operation of theplates 9 and 10 is'controlled by a pedal 11 that is placed withinconvenient reach of the operator and carries a. bevel gear segment 12 tomesh with a second bevel gear segment 13 fixed on the rear end of a rockshaft 14-. The r ck shaft 14 is mounted in brackets 15 an 16 and carriesa lever arm 17 that is connected to the plates 9 and 10 by links 18. 1

A guide block 19 has a pivotal sag, ort at 20 on the plate 9 and isnormally m the position shown in Fig. 2 by springs 21 which pressagainst its opposite sides. A pin 22 is slidably mounted in a suitableopening in the block. 19 in a position radial to the flywheel and isnormally retained in the position shown by a compression spring 23 between the block 19 and a collar 24 on the pin'= At the outer end of thepin 22, is angunted a transverse locking pin 25 which is adapted toenter a recess 26 in an arm 27' attached to the plate 9 when the pin22and block 19 are rocked on the pivot 20. The inner end of the pin 22 isprovided with a 28 which projects beyond the circumference of the pinion8 and is adapted, under certain conditions hereinafter described, toengage an annular groove 29 in the periphery of the flywheel in advanceof the meshing of the pinion 8 with the flywheel gear teeth 4. i

\Vhen it is desired to start the engine, the operator presses the pedal11 forwardly and the shaft 14 is rocked by the oevel gear segments 12and 13 tooaguse the lever arm 17 to turn the plates 9 and 10 about themotor shaft 6 and thus move the pinion 8 toward the flywheel. The dog 28 first engages the groove 29 and a further movement of the platemembers 9 anglllO causes the block 19 to slide on the'pin -f22 andcompress the spring 23 untilthe teeth of mesh with the gear teeth 4. Themotor 5 is supplied with motive power from any suitable-source and the e'ine shaft, not shown, is rotated to start the engine. The rotation ofthe flywheel 'iiji the direction of the arrow Fig. 2, rocks'the pin andblock 19 on t e pivot 20 until the pin 25 engages the arm 27,whereuponthe dog 28 slides in the groove The dog 28 is provided withcurved edges 30 which render the Wedging engagement With the groove 29very slight when. the pin is in an inclined position coin pared withthat when in a radial position. When the engine starts under its ownpower, the operator releases the pedal 11 which is retracted by atension spring 31, connected to any suitable stationary part of thevehicle, and the parts ere returned to the in-' operative position.

If the operator should press the pedal 11 While the engine is runningand the flywheel is rotating, the pinion 8 is prevented from engagingthe gear teeth 4 because-the pin 22 and the block 19 are turnedon the)ivot 20 instantly upon the engagement oi the pin 22 with the groove 29of the rapidly rotating flywheel and the locking pin 25 enters therecess 26 .and locks the arm 27 and the plate 9 against movementrelative to the pin 22, thus preventing further movement of the pinion8. Upon the release of the pedai, the various parts will he returned totheir normal inoperative his not necessary for the Qgzocessful operationof my invention that the engine should be operating under its own powerto rotate the flywheel at a high rate of speed because the safetymechanism operates to look the pinion out of connection with theflywheel at any speed of the latter which is sufficient to injure theteeth of the gear wheels. A

From the foregoing description and expianation, it me be readilyunderstood that have provide a simple means for posi-- tively preventingdamage tothe gear mechanism of a starting motor on account of a mistakeor an inadventenoa on the part of the 0 star.

I c mirfi 'as my invention i. a mrtingmechanism, the combinewith'twogem" members, of means for one of said members laterally into "and outof mesh with the second member, and means carried by said shifting meansfor reventing the shifting of saifi first meni er into mesh with theSecond meinber when said second member-in,

2. In a starting mechaniiixi; the combine tion with two gear membersmounted in substantially the same plane, of means for shifting one ofsaid gear members into operative and inoperative position with zespectto the other gear member, and means for preventing the shifting of saidfirst member from an inoperative-position w n said second gear member isroiting 3. In a starting mechanism, the combine? time with two armembers mounted in the same plane, 0 means for shifting one of saidmembers into end out of operative con nection, and lock' mes es neetionwith the other member, anti meehanicoi means for automatically reventing ii shifting of first nieni )6! into 1 n when the second i. in astarting system, the conihinrition with gem mechanism comprising ashiftnble gear member having an operative and an inoperative position,and a movahie snpport for said member. of an element pivotaliy andslidehly mounted on said support, and means carried iy said support andsaid element for locking said member in an inoperative position,

In a starting system, the combination with an engine shaft, 21 startingmotor, and gear mechani m for 0 eratively connecting said motor to aidshe. t, of means for shift ing one member of said mechanism laterallyinto and out of mesh with a second memher, and incans'ior preventing theshifting of said first member into mesh with semi secomi niemhe" saidengine shaft is rotilting 6. in a. starting nieohenisrn, the no tionwith. en engn'se shaft, a size Y and gear inenihers for operativ'el ingsaid mo air to seiri shaft, o't means for shifting one oi seid gearmembers ii and out of operativ .inneotion with. gear member on:,isintnining an 0 connection with a third gear member, And means forautomatically inching sairi first gear member in its inoperativeposition when sniii engine shaft is rotating.

7. In. a starting mechanism, the combinw tion with two gear members, ofmeans for shifting one of said gear members interelly into and out ofwith the second gear member, and means whereby a partial movement ofseidshifting means, when said seconci member rotating, automatically lockssaid first ear member out oi mesh with sairi secon gt. member,

A starting mechanism, comprising geer inenihene second gear member ableinto and out of operative oozineetion with said, first member, an armSLpPOPElEg said shifteble member, a. siidable pin haw ing. s pivotalsupport on said Mm, a dog on said pin which engages said first memberbefore said members are in operative eon means on 133%gn6 said arm forholding said out of operative connection member,

In testimony whereof, i here hereunto sogserihed my name this 18th dayof Feb- Henry, 1913.

SAMUEL TROOD.

Witnesses:

B. B. Hines,

C. Mnsz.

